Do BLMs really do that much damage?

[Anakron]

I'd like to start out by saying that this is not a flame, nor any condescending type of post.

I recently played BLM to 40, and plan on going further. However, all of my experiences so far tell me that BLMs will not do nearly as much damage as a well-equipped melee. Now if this is simply the truth, then I am fine with it, but there has always been a "BLMs do mad damage!" attitude going around. No doubt, the big numbers that BLMs put up contribute to this attitude, but I think that some people genuinely believe that BLM DoT is pretty good, despite many parser logs showing BLMs doing only around 2/3 of RNGs, and sometimes even worse than WARs and DRKs.

I just came back from a party with a DRK in Gustav, and here are some loose numbers:

Blizzard: ~110
Thunder: ~120
Aero II: ~188
Fire II: ~220
Blizzaga Burst: ~310

DRK average hit: ~50-60
DRK critical hit: ~80-90

Given that I can cast at most around 3 or 4 nukes a fight, that means that the DRK only has to connect ~10 times to match my damage from the numbers given above. The numbers above do not take into account resists, and I was getting resisted maybe 1/4 times on average, most of them coming from goblins, which have no elemental weaknesses. Now I didn't parse the party, nor did I count how many times he connected, but it certainly did seem like he was hitting very often (he was eating Sole Sushi +1). I have +32 INT with food, so I consider that to be pretty decent.

I understand that BLM is not all about damage over time, and has a little of "emergency handling," enfeebling, and burst damage for high chains going along with it, but I just wanted to ask--will well-equipped melees more or less always outdamage us?

Thanks.

[kazuri]

Eh, not always 'out damaging' or stuff... a well equipped, smart BLM will do more dmg, on the other hand... a well equipped, smart "melee" will do more dmg. It all depends. BLM is also restricted to MP, whereas "melee jobs" have no restrictions. So eventually, "melee jobs" will do more dmg I guess.

And RNG usually outdamage us in the end.

[mdn]

wait until 75

[Elsurion]

Last time i partied with a BLM i "won" around 2/3 of the fights with the dmg the other 1/3 was "won" by the BLM.

But the difference where only around 200dmg or so between us a fight. I dunno if he was also 61 or 62, but i was a 61 RNG using Sargna and War Bow+1 Ice Arrows Mob was Toramas.

BLM was a Tatu

I could try to look if the log is still around to calaculate it more correctly, since it was just a rough comparsion. My Shadow Lord Trio Fight is also in that log.

[Jei]

BLM adds instant damage. MB firega3 950-1050, <3 for BLM.

[Irinicus]

Yes Jei, Firaga3 on MB on a Catablepas(Dhamel type) can and has reached 1300pts of damage. So thats pretty darn impressive numbers there.

[Anakron]

Well, like I said earlier, I understand that BLMs do good burst damage. I've seen Thundaga III do around 1400 consistently, but on second though, that's really not too much more than SATA Spinning Slashes or Sidewinders. Though BLMs can usually follow up with a Firaga III to end things. :p

Maybe it's that I've played RNG for so long, it just sucks when I have to rest as a BLM, and have my potential limited by something other than monster hate. My roommate was walking by yesterday, and he commented "Everytime I walk by when you're playing BLM, you're resting." And it's true--I rest more than I stand up as a BLM.

[Irinicus]

Then maybe you need to look at equips and how well you manage your MP's.

[TheMidg]

Just wait until you have a 1 BFD 5 BLM PT :D

[Gman]

BLM deal damage in large chunks rather than over time. Imagine fighting Greater Cockatrice in Kuftal:

BLM uses Aero 3 dmg = 495.
BLM uses Blizzard 3 dmg = 590
BLM bursts at end with Waterga 3 dmg = 1100
------------------------------------------------------------

That's over 2k damage in 1 fight. Even if the BLM only casts 1 nuke and 1 burst in the whole fight, he is still doing over 1000 dmg. BLM are mostly there to finish the mob after the SC with a lethal MB.

[Anakron]

Maybe it's the lack of Refresh that's the problem. I think what's frustrating me the most is having to rest so much, yet still getting the feeling that the melees are doing more damage than me (and yes, I know BLMs are more than just damage).

As for managing my MP, I'd like to think that I'm doing a fairly good job. I almost never drop below 50% of my MP (I have a little more than 400 right now) on any mob except the one that ends the chain, after which I'm usually empty. Basically, I start the battle with whatever enfeebles I need to do, then throw one or two nukes out. Then I rest for maybe about half of the fight and get back up to nuke until the monster's dead (so, come to think of it, that means that I'm actually nuking more than 3-4 times a fight :p). It seems like a lot of resting, but I'm never at full MP once the chain starts (unless monsters are too close to pull, too many parties, etc), and I'm usually empty by the end of the chain, so I don't see what I could be doing wrong.

The closest thing I've had to a manaburn PT was a 3BLM PT in Yhoator Jungle, with a plvl. I'll have to admit--that was damn fun.

As for Gman's example, yeah, that's over 2,000 damage, but that's also nearly half of your MP. If it were on chain 5 or 6 or whatever, then yeah, that's cool and all, but I don't really see a BLM doing that too often (I never paid much attention to BLMs on my RNG or PLD, so I'm not entirely sure on that).

Maybe I'll wait until 45 or so to see how things are after Refresh, though I understand BLMs are basically the lowest priority for that.

[Kilgraw]

Basically what Blm is most useful for is doing a large chunk of damage while only giving the mob a small amount of TP since they only nuke a monster 3-5 times a fight. In the long run, it saves mp all around in the party.

[Gman]

Originally posted by Anakron
As for Gman's example, yeah, that's over 2,000 damage, but that's also nearly half of your MP. If it were on chain 5 or 6 or whatever, then yeah, that's cool and all, but I don't really see a BLM doing that too often

Yes, its almost half the BLM MP, but they get to rest much more than RDM or WHM too. With Refresh on, and a Dark Staff, they get that back in no time. A BLM at a higher level can nuke once, sit, then get up to MB, sit again, repeat, etc, etc. Really depends on the PT setup, and how good the DD's are at dishing out damage without the BLM help.

The group I've been partying with lately is a static, but they are usually short 1 mage, so they always invite me. Make up is NIN, WAR, RNG, WHM, BLM, RDM. We do 5-6k/hour consistently (never below 5k/hour ever) last night I got 21,000 exp in just over 3 hours. I started 11000/380000, I'm now 32000/38000. RNG and WAR beat up on mob till its at half life, then do WS Slug Shot (550-800) --> Rampage (350-700) --> Distortion. RDM and BLM burst, and mob is usually dead, if its not, a level 2 spell will usually kill it. Fights take maybe 2 mins each, very fast. BLM is a huge part of that damage. We usually cant finish the mob from half if we have 2 RDM.

At 40, your nukes are still fairly weak. Dont worry... they get much better soon.

[Asharu]

Thunder IV MB on Aura Statue: 1359 damage.

You'll only see numbers like that when you have all the optimal BLM equipment.

[Gman]

Originally posted by Asharu
Thunder IV MB on Aura Statue: 1359 damage.

You'll only see numbers like that when you have all the optimal BLM equipment.

Do you mean non "-ga" spells only? A BLM in a group I had on the weekend bursted Firaga 3 for 1395 damage (on firesday) on greater cockatrice (light SC)